Plans for Native Plants

15 years ago

Help i have begun to do research for a project for a school in berkley mi the school is planning to install a native plant garden and possibly add a mix of native shrubs depending on our budget (which is limited) i have started reading the books about native landscaping and plants ( i have begun to create lists upon lists of native plants and local suppliers of plants seeds etc) and love to learn more about what was here first but between being a busy mom and trying to document/create a unofficial site plan with the plants, shrubs and trees that are already existing i'm swamped

does anybody have some native plant plans that they might want to share? or live SE michigan and have tips seeds divisions etc that they might want to donate to a school when the time comes - we are still very much in the planning stages but i hope to get to a planting stage by spring if i can help it. i like annuals as much as anyone but they are just way to much work with not enough reward and no one has had the time to make the changes that really should happen

thanks for any help

( i can really use it, having xplanted to mi i am still learning all about what will live here)

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Comments (7)

fatamorgana2121
15 years ago
If you get in touch with your local cooperative extension and the master gardeners associated with it you'll find people with plants and expertise to share.

Winter sowing native seeds will help stretch your dollars as well.

Native Plants of the Northeast: A Guide for Gardening and Conservation By Donald J. Leopold is a favorite book of mine.

Be sure to check out Prairie Moon Nursery as well. LOTS of seeds, plants, and info.

FataMorgana
terrene
15 years ago
What is your site like? With a school garden, I would think you would want low-maintenance and rugged plants.

I've winter-sown many native perennials, vines and a few trees and shrubs and this works extremely well, and is very easy and inexpensive. In fall of 2009 I collected seeds like Cornus florida and Cornus amomum, sowed them in December, put them outside, and had abundant germination! In fact, the dilemma for me is that it's much easier to start plants from seed than it is to figure out where to plant them, esp. woody plants which need a permanent location with the appropriate amount of space allotted.

I've also purchased native tree/shrub seedlings from the NH State nursery, which sells wonderful plants in packs of 10 for $10 (a buck apiece, can't beat that). There is probably an inexpensive source of seedlings closer to MI if it's important to get local stock.

If you want to start planting next Spring, then it would be good to place orders for seedlings or start sowing this winter. Most hardy perennials and woody plants need at least 1-3 months of cold stratification. Feel free to email me through GW email, and I would be happy to share seeds for the project.
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I'm not well-versed in conifers, but do have a list at work from a presentation given by our Ag. Agent "Underutilized Trees & Shrubs". If I can remember, I'll bring it home; anything suited to our area should do just as well in yours. Right off the top of my head, two deciduous woody plants with good winter interest are the river birch (betula nigra) 'Heritage' and redosier dogwood. 'Heritage' is better suited to our hot summers than white birch, and is resistant to many of the pests and diseases; as it matures, it also develops a lovely an interesting exfoliating bark. There are a few different varieties of the redosier dogwoods now, with different coloration. They thrive in full sun to part shade, but will have better winter color in full sun. Winterberry holly is deciduous, and you need both male and female plants, but will have a beautiful display of bright red berries in winter - for the birds or to cut and bring indoors (use them as supports for your forced paperwhite bulbs ... great combination). I'm glad to see you've chosen the serviceberry (shadbush, amelanchier, etc.). Check the different varieties for the characteristics you prefer - some have more vibrant fall foliage than others. The berries are very attractive to wildlife (I didn't realize chipmunks climbed trees until I saw one gathering berries in one of the serviceberries at our park). The berries are edible for humans, if you can get to them before the wildlife does! They taste a lot like blueberries. One of my favorite local nurseries is also a good resource for information, rarefindnursery.com. Even if you don't order anything from them, you will find a lot of photos and information and I've always found it to be reliable. Ah, sweetbay magnolia (magnolia virginiana) - another native, semi-evergreen, very fragrant blooms (heavy in June, intermittently thereafter), seeds are colorful and food for wildlife. The undersides of the leaves are silvery, making a nice display when they flutter in the breeze. Choose an upright or multi-branching variety, according to your needs. Like serviceberry and river birch, they do well in a moist soil. Ninebark (physocarpus) is another deciduous native, for sun or partial shade. 'Diablo' is a dark red leaved cultivar with contrasting clusters of tiny pale pink flowers. I'm sorry, I should never get started.
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Gld - That's good to hear about your Magnus seedlings. I think I'll try to transplant my larger seedlings this fall and see how they do. My butterfly weed hasn't self seeded yet either but I did see one blooming in my neighbors hayfield that I don't remember being there last year and I wonder if it came from mine. Hay has only been cut once this year. I thought it was interesting that it went ahead and bloomed after being baled earlier in the year. I don't know if that's common. Maybe it was just the timing. I have grown orange butterfly weed from seed a couple times with winter sowing and had great germination. I just let them dry out and die later before I transplanted them. The one I have was the lone survivor. I need to grow some more.
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peter_6
15 years ago
xplant: I live in S.E. Michigan also. You can get seeds free by participating in native plat seed collecting at various places in S. Michigan at this time of year. Find out whether the Douglas Evans preservation near you does one. There is also a fine large restoration -- I've forgotten its name unfortuately -- in Lapeer County, where they collect in October or November on a Saturday or Sunday. You go up I-75 to the Lapper Road, then turn off the Lapeer Road down the Dryden Ropad, and the turn-off to the nature center is just before you get to Dryden. And you can ask the MSU Extension Service in Pontiac if they have a calendar of seed gathering dates around the county. As to suitable habitat: if you have a full-sun area -- prairie plants, if you have trees -- sring ephemeras, if you have a wet patch -- a long list of wildflowers that like to have their feet wet, and if you have all three -- you can have them all! And the CN railway might have lots of asters and goldenrods along the right-of-way, if you have someone who can point out the worthwhile ones. Regards, Peter.
christie_sw_mo
15 years ago
Our kids' elementary put in a garden a several years ago and received a grant that covered much of the expense for plants, edging, mulch, and more. It's considered an "outdoor classroom". Be sure to search for available grants to help with the cost.

Winter sowing might be a fun learning project for the kids to do this winter. You sow seeds in containers (like milkjugs) and set them outside all winter, then they germinate in the spring. For more information, check out the Winter Sowing forum on Gardenweb. Lots of nice folks there that might have some seeds to share.

Be sure to plan some weeding and watering over summer when school is out.
peter_6
15 years ago
xplant2mi: The Seven Ponds Seed Collection is on Sunday November 7 at 2:00 p.m. They let you collect your own seed, show you which plant is which, and tell you a bit about planting wildflower seeds. These are just prairie species. I plan to attend; I live in Birmingham MI, so if you need a lift please let me know. Regards, Peter.
neen_5mi
15 years ago
You might consider applying to the Wildflower Association of Michigan for a grant to assist with funding.
Also, I organize a plant "swap" every spring with friends and coworkers. I have lots of natives and usually end up gifting rather than swapping because my beds are full. I'd be happy to have you come over and dig divisions and seedlings if you want to make a road trip, but you may find someone closer. I'm in Mason, MI. The swap is usually in May, but I start potting up my contributions as early as March.

Mary
docmom_gw
15 years ago
Hi, Mary!

Xplant,
I could provide seeds and divisions of quite a few plants, too. And the suggestions about wintersowing can't be repeated enough. Let me know if I can help.

Martha

Plans for Native Plants

Comments (7)

fatamorgana2121

terrene

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